Goos's Note- My first Gravi fic, and it's a little on the weird side, so take
it easy on me. Basically I was sitting around, writing my original series and
sulking because I hadn't been able to write a single fic for any fandom since
March and even then all I wrote were two song-fics, so I figured if all I could
write were song-fics then I would write the world's longest song-fic. I always
give credit to the singer and song-writer at the beginning of the chapter of the
songs that I use, so look out for that. Also note that if someone is OOC, they
are supposed to be because most of the characters aren't actually the characters
but just "actors". Read on to understand what I mean.

Dislcaimer- I don't own Gravitation, and because it's sufficiantly angsty and
yaoi-full I can't say I really want to. I really wish I owned Ryuuichi, though.
*Grabs and squeezes said adorable man-child with the hot-ass rock star persona
until he turns purple.* And no songs just yet, but that'll be remedied soon
enough.

Warning- Some spoilers down the road, especially from Episodes 6-8 and Episodes
11-13, so if you don't want to run into those then I suggest you either don't
read or skip the acts where I warn I will be going over parts from later in
the series.

A/N- Yes, the age to buy cigarettes and alcohol in Japan is 20. Thank you,
Mars, for telling me so. (And for telling me the driving age is 18, something
I was unaware of.)

The Life of Shindou Shuichi: A Retrospective in Song

Written by A Guy Named Goo

Act 0: Prologue

~Curtain Rises~

"I'm going out for a few minutes!" Shuichi shouted, taking his wallet
out of his pocket and counting his money to make sure he had enough. The genki
pink-haired singer had had a horrible craving for strawberry Pocky all day,
and though he had tried his best to fight the craving (since he hadn't really
wanted to walk to the store to get some more), the effort had been in vain,
and now he was preparing for the sugar-craving-induced excursion.

He listened for a few moments for Yuki to say something, but naturally, he
heard nothing. Or, at least, he'd expected to hear nothing.

"You going by the store?" the writer shouted from the general vacinity
of his office.

"I'm going to the store," Shuichi replied, wondering why Yuki had
suddenly taken an interest in his comings and goings.

"Pick me up a pack of cigarettes, would you," was all Yuki said.
Though he had said it almost as a question, it was definately an order. Shuichi
sighed. And he'd almost believed that Yuki was interested in what he did. That's
what he got for getting his hopes up.

Shuichi walked over to the office, careful to only duck his head in so that
Yuki wouldn't see that he already had his shoes on in the house. Not that Yuki
would have looked up from his computer screen long enough to see that, of course,
but better safe than sorry.

"I don't have enough," Shuichi told him. "If you want cigarettes,
you have to pay for them yourself." Actually, that was only partially true.
If Shuichi only bought two boxes of Pocky, he'd have more than enough for a
pack of cigarettes. He just didn't want to buy the cigarettes himself, especially
with what little money he had left. Yuki would either have to tear himself from
his computer long enough to give him the money, or forget about the cigarettes
all together, which he would have preffered. He hated Yuki's smoking habit,
but would never dare tell him so, especially since getting him to quit would
only put him in a pissier mood than he usually was.

"Didn't you get your royalty check yet?" the blonde asked him, not
looking anywhere near his lover in the doorway of the office.

"No. I went to Touma's office, but he wasn't there, so I tried to call
him later and he told me that I couldn't get it until next week, the bastard.
He then tried to blame it on me, since Hiro and Suguru already went to pick
up their's a few days ago, like I was supposed to know that he wouldn't be at
his office this week-"

"Shuichi, it was a yes or no question. I didn't ask for your life story,"
Yuki interrupted. He then took his wallet out of his pocket and took out some
money, holding it over his shoulder. "There's more than enough there. I
expect to see the change."

Shuichi walked into the office and took the money. "Cheap..." he
muttered, opening his wallet and putting it in with his own.

"And why are you wearing shoes in the house?"

Shuichi looked at his footwear and quickly ducked out of the office. "I'll
be back in about twenty minutes! A half hour tops!" he shouted behind him
as he made a hasty exit from his home.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The day had been oddly warm for the season, which made Shuichi glad of his
decision to wear his usual shorts and T-shirt. As a bicycle whizzed by him,
nearly knocking him over, he made a silent promise to use his royalities to
buy a bicycle of his own. When he finally got his check, that was. Once again
he cursed Seguchi Touma as he ducked into the small convenience store.

There was a small line at the counter. Because both of the items he had come
to purchase were near the counter, he had to get in the back of the line and
wait his turn. To prove how bad a day he was having, the first customer was
an old woman who seemed to have went grocery shopping for the month in this
one store and insisted on paying in the smallest incriments, counting out each
one slowly. The others in line held their breath, afraid that the slightest
noise would make her lose count and start over.

Finall the old woman left, and the line went significantly faster. Shuichi,
however, hadn't been paying attention (he was reflecting on his bad day, which
made him hungrier and his Pocky craving double, causing him to then think about
the strawberry-covered breadsticks he had come to retrieve) and had missed his
turn in line, so two people had cut in front of him, causing him to have to
wait longer. Finally, alert this time, he approached the counter and counted
his money.

"Three boxes of strawberry Pocky and a pack of Alpha cigarettes,"
he ordered, throwing his money on the counter.

The clerk looked at Shuichi, then the money, then back up at Shuichi. "You
got any ID?"

"Excuse me?" Shuichi asked, got off guard. He'd bought Yuki cigarettes
in the past and had never been asked for ID.

"Identification. You have to be 20 to buy cigarettes here, and you sure
as hell don't look 20," the clerk repeated.

Fuming, Shuichi took out his wallet. Realizing he had no ID, he glared at the
clerk. "Do you have any idea who I am?!"

The clerk rolled his eyes. "No. By all means, tell me."

"I am Shindou Shuichi! Of Bad Luck! And I am 19 years old, and I happen
to be buying those cigarettes for Yuki Eiri, the novelist!" he clearified.

"Yeah, sure kid, whatever you say. And I'm the Emperor of Japan,"
the clerk muttered. Looking at the now clearly unamused Shuichi, he sighed.
"Look, kid, without ID I can't sell you those cigarettes. You can have
the candy, but if you are buying those cigarettes for Yuki Eiri, then he can
come back and get them himself. With ID."

Shuichi was now beyond pissed. Though he didn't care if he couldn't buy cigarettes,
it was a matter of principal. He'd been having a rotten day to begin with, and
now this jackass refused to believe he was who he said he was, called him a
kid repeatedly, and wouldn't sell him one pack of cigarettes. Even if it wasn't
his fault, Yuki would be pissed if Shuichi came home without them.

He looked down at the counter. The three boxes of Pockey were there, and there
was a little less money, but the cigarettes weren't there. And the next place
that sold cigarettes was a vending machine at least another 15 minutes away
and twice as expensive.

Taking his Pocky and mumbling, Shuichi shoved his wallet back into his pocket
and left the store, walking in the direction of the cigarette vending machine.
Clouds had formed while he had been inside, and the air smelled of rain.

'Perfect,' Shuichi thought bitterly. 'Not only do I have to walk an extra 15
minutes both ways to get Yuki his damn cigarettes, but I have to do it in the
rain. Can this day possibly get any better?'

Just then, with a mighty clap of thunder, a steady downpour began to fall on
top of Shuichi. As if by magic, every other pedestrian around him produced an
umbrella. He tried his best to walk under the canopy that the umbrellas together
created, but also as if by magic, the pedestrians seemed to spread apart as
Shuichi passed so that he couldn't get under any of their umbrellas.

'Yuki Eiri, if you aren't off the computer and in a somewhat good mood when
I get home, I swear to God I am taking my stuff and going to K's or Hiro's for
the night,' Shuichi vowed silently, though he knew the threat effected him much
more then it would ever effect Yuki. Chances are Yuki would take the threat
to heart and act like a bastard on purpose just so that Shuichi would take off
and he wouldn't have to hear him rant about his rotten day.

He finally got to where the vending machine was glowing. Unfortunately, it
was across the street. Pushing the button, he waiting for the crosswalk light
the turn green, signalling for the cars to stop and for him to go. After what
seemed like forever, it finally turned green, and he crossed without a problem
and managed to get the cigarettes without incident. (Which geniunely surprised
him, since he'd expected the machine to be out of order or out of Yuki's brand,
considering the day he'd been having.) Pocketing them and taking a bite out
his his now soggy stick of Pocky, he waited for the light to once again turn
green.

Shuichi watched the light intently, sniffling slightly. He sneezed, and whiped
his nose on his vest, now regretting not wearing a shirt with long sleeves.
'Oh, great. Now I'm getting sick. My nose will get stuffy, my throat will get
sore, and I won't be able to work at all. Well, maybe Yuki will take care of
me.' At that thought, he almost laughed out loud.

The light turned green, and Shuichi, still sniffling, proceeded to cross the
street. And he almost made it to the other side.

A blue car, not too fancy but nothing to scoff at, either, had come seemingly
from no where. It swerved slightly, and didn't seem to see that it had a red
light or that a pink-haired pedestrian was currently crossing the street. And
if it did see these things, it certainly didn't care.

Shuichi was dimly aware of someone shouting "Look out!". He barely
caught a glimpse of the headlights. And then everything went black.

At some point his eyes opened again slightly. He was still outside, in the
rain. He tried to speak, but found it to be impossible, and the vision in his
right eye was red and hazy, which he guessed was from blood. He could also taste
blood. There were several people around him, a sea of concerned and unfamiliar
faces. With what was left of his energy, he managed to mouth the words "get
Yuki".